Socket wrench kit



Dec. 22, 1936. N, F. MCNAUGHT ET AL 2,065,340

vSOCKET WRENCH KIT Filed oct. 5, 1955 A 2 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 22, 1936. ,Y N. F. MCNAUGHT ET AL 2,065,340

SOCKET WRENCH KIT Filed Oc.. 5, 1935 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED sTATEs PATENT riE SOCKET WRENCH KIT Norris F. McNaught and Edward Henry Peterson, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Duro Metal Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 5, 1935, Serial No. 43,683

13 Claims.

vision` of an improved receptacle which is of such shape that when the sockets are arranged therein, in a suitable series according to size, they are held therein and guarded against the possibility of separate 1oss,-but are so held that the assembly of sockets may be slightly moved against the action of a retaining device to render all or any of the `sockets immediately accessible for lifting out of the receptacle.

- Another object of the invention is the provision of a socket wrench kit which is sturdy, formed of sheet metal, and which may be manufactured by a number of stamping and/ or punching operations and produced at very lo-w cost.

Another object is the pro-vision of a socket wrench kit of the class described in which sockets are held separately in the kitV without the necessity for employing a wrench lever for this purpose.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a socket wrench kit constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2- isa front elevational view of the kit;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the outlines of the wrench sockets shown,-the sockets having been moved to such a position that they may be removed quickly from the receptacle;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the receptacle per se;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a modification; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the modiflcation.

The kit includes a series of wrench sockets I0-I6 of various sizes. In addition to the usual hexagonal sockets, square sockets may also be furnished, such, for example, as the sockets ll and I5. Each of .these sockets is, of course, provided with an aperture of suitable size to receive either e'nd I8 or I9 of the wrench lever I1. The wrench lever comprises a bar of hexagonal stock which has a laterally turned end I9.

The lever may be provided with laterally projecting lugs located at 2i) and 2|, serving as stops to determine the position of the lever in the respective sockets. Suitable spring pressed balls 22 also may be employed for making more effective (Cl. 20G-16) the frictional engagement of the lever with a socket. The sockets are usually graduated in size and are preferably arranged according to size in a series, the smallest one, i0, being at one end and the largest one, i6, being at the other end. They are housed in a receptacle 23 which is tapered in shape and which is shown in perspective in Fig. 4.

Receptacle 23 is preferably constructed of sheet metal and is provided with a relatively fiat bottom 24, an end flange 25, a back side iiange 25 and a front side ange 21. In some embodiments of the invention, the front side ange 21 may consist of a plurality of upwardly extending lugs f.

located to engage the socket members at the proper points. Y

The back side flange Z6 is provided with an overhanging lip 28 which is provided with a multiplicity of overhanging extensions or lugs 29-735.

Between each pair of these extensions or lugs there is a substantially semi-circular cut-out Sii- 4I which may correspond in general shape to the outline of the adjacent socket, with suitable enlargement or clearance to pass thesocket. The back side ange 26, end flange 25, and front ilange 21 may be substantially rectangular in form, as shown, although they may take such other shapes as are necessary in order properly to confine the series of wrench sockets. The bottom 24 is preferably substantially trapezoidal in shape, comprising an elongated tapered member which corresponds generally to the shape of the socket assembly when the sockets are arranged in series according to size. be provided betweenthe sockets and the sides 23 and 21 of the receptacle when the same receptacle is also intended to be used to hold ensembles of relatively larger sockets, but when it is desired that rattling be most effectively prevented, the receptacle is made quite closely to t each socket as it is pressed into its respective proper position in the tapered receptacle.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the lip 28 is located immediately above the ensemble of sockets,-also that when a socket is located under one of the lugs29-35, it cannot be removed because it is effectively confined on all sides, including its top.

The largest or endmost socket I6 is also preferably engaged by a spring finger 42, which is punched out of the back side flange 26 and pressed inwardly to engage the socket H5. The point of engagement is preferably beyond (to the right in Fig. l) a line which passes through the axis of the socket I6 and extends at right angles to the axis of the receptacle,-so that the socket is urged toward the left, in Fig. 1, by the spring nger 42. A slight pressure, however, is all that is necessary to move this socket I6 and all of the rest of the sockets, toward the right lfrom the Some clearance may position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3. Then each of the sockets registers with a cut-out 3G-4I of suitable size, and the sockets are not confined at their tops when they are positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3. They may, therefore, be removed for use with a wrench lever I'I, and can be removed most easily by pushing the end of the wrench lever into any socket as it lies in the receptacle, and then lifting the socket out of the receptacle.

Of course, the receptacle serves the additional purpose of automatically classifying the sockets according to size and keeping them in proper order, assuming that after being used they are habitually returned to their respective proper positions.

In order to retain the wrench lever II in the kit, the back side ange 23 is also preferably punched out at 43, forming a tongue of metal 44 which extends laterally and then upwardly and is spaced just sufficiently from the said back side ange to hook around the lever I'I. This resilient tongue 44 engages the lever I'I and forces it over against the back side of the receptacle.

The back side flange 23 also has an aperture 45 located at one end, through which the bent end I9 of the wrench lever II may pass. Of course, the presence of this end I9 in the receptacle at this point further assures the retention of the sockets in the receptacles, because they cannot pass to the right to the position of Fig. 3 when the wrench lever is in the position of Fig. 1. However, the wrench lever is customarily removed rst, after which the sockets may be pressed to the right against the friction of the spring nger 42, and be removed from the top of the tapered receptacle.

Referring to Fig. 5, this is a modification in which the kit just described is combined with another and larger wrench kit. In Figs. l to 4, the kit is shown at twice its size for the purpose of illustration, but in Fig. 5 both kits are shown in full size. The second kit 50 also comprises a tapered receptacle having a trapezoidal bottom 5I and substantially rectangular sides 52-55. It is adapted to house a plurality of sockets 56-63, together with a ratchet lever 64, a wrench lever 65, and a stub shaft 66. The end walls 52-55 are provided with hinge rivets 66 for the purpose of pivotally securing a cover 61. Cover 61 has a forwardly extending spring arm 68 which engages the front Wall 54 to hold the cover in place.

The kit 50 just described is merely exemplary of many different types of kits which may be used in connection with the smaller kit 10. In the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 the side flange 2'I is not bent up at right angles to the bottom flange 24, but remains an extension of the bottom iiange 24 and in the same plane. The front wall 54 of the larger wrench kit 50 may then be used to form one side wall of the smaller kit by placing the smaller kit 'I0 up against the larger kit 5D, as shown in Fig. 5.

The flange 2'! may then be soldered, spot welded, riveted, or otherwise xedly secured to the bottom 5I of the larger wrench kit. It will thus be observed that by means of the smaller socket kit of this structure the larger wrench set may be changed to a complete socket wrench kit, having a larger number of sockets running from the largest size down to a much smaller size. The present small socket set may be attached to any of the present socket Wrench kits, as shown in Fig. 6, thus extending the range of use of the larger sets by increasing the number of sockets.

It will thus be observed that we have invented an improved socket wrench kit in which it is not necessary to provide any movable retaining members for the sockets except the spring iinger which engages the last or largest socket. If it is desired that the wrench lever alone shall hold the sockets in the receptacle, then even the spring finger may be eliminated. Similarly, the sockets may be held by the spring finger without being engaged by a lever.

The kit of the present invention is much more simple than those kits of the prior art, which employ movable strips, covers, etc., for holding the sockets in place. The present device may be manufactured at low cost, thus placing the invention within the reach of a vast number of purchasers who could not aiford those kits of the prior art which comprise relatively much more expensive receptacles for the wrench sockets.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In a socket wrench kit a socket holder comprising an elongated receptacle for receiving a plurality of sockets in a row, said receptacle having an open top, a plurality of over-hanging lugs provided on one wall of said receptacle and so located as to engage and confine the sockets when the sockets are in packed position, the said lugs being spaced a distance apart suflicient to pass said sockets and permit their removal from the receptacle when moved longitudinally thereof.

2. In a socket wrench kit a socket holder comprising an elongated receptacle for receiving a plurality of sockets in a row, said receptacle having an open top, a plurality of over-hanging lugs projecting from one wall of said receptacle, said lugs engaging and confining the sockets when the sockets are in packed position, and so spaced as to pass said lugs when the sockets are moved longitudinally of said receptacle, and resilient means engaging one of the sockets for retaining all of the sockets in the first mentioned position.

3. In a socket wrench kit a receptacle which is adapted to receive a plurality of wrench sockets arranged side by side, said receptacle having i flange portions for confining and supporting the wrench sockets at the bottom, at the two sides, and at one end of the assembly, said housing also having a plurality of overhanging lugs arranged to extend over the wrench sockets and to coniine the sockets at the top when the sockets are in packed position in the kit, but said lugs being spaced from each other in such manner that when the wrench sockets are shifted longitudinally in the housing they may move into alignment with the spaces between the lugs in order to pass the lugs in the removal of the sockets from the kit.

4. In a socket wrench kit a receptacle which is adapted to receive a plurality of wrench sockets arranged side by side, said receptacle having flange portions for confining and supporting the wrench sockets at the bottom, at the two sides, and at one end of the assembly, said housing also having a plurality of overhanging lugs arranged to extend over the wrench sockets and to confine the sockets at the top when the sockets are in packed position in the kit, but said lugs being spaced from each other in such manner that when the wrench sockets are shifted longitudinally in the housing they may move into alignment with the spaces between the lugs in order to pass the lugs in the removal of the sockets from the kit, and resilient means for holding said wrench sockets in packed position.

5. In a socket wrench kit a receptacle which is adapted to receive a plurality of wrench sockets arranged side by side, said receptacle having flange portions for conning and supporting the wrench sockets at the bottom, at the two sides, and atone end of the assembly, said housing also having a plurality of overhanging lugs arranged to extend over the wrench sockets and to confine the sockets at the top when the sockets are in packed position in the kit, but said lugs being spaced from each other in such manner that when the wrench sockets are shifted longitudinally in the housing they may move into alignment with the spaces between the lugs in order to pass the lugs in the removal of the sockets from the kit7 and means carried by said kit for holding the socket wrench lever in position tol prevent the moving of the wrench sockets from packed position.

6. In a socket wrench kit, a tapered receptacle adapted to conform substantially to the shape of an assembly of wrench sockets arranged according to size, said receptacle comprising means confining the said assembly on the bottom, the two sides and one end thereof, with an over-hanging lip carried by said receptacle, said overhanging lip having a plurality of partially circular slots cut therein conforming substantially to the shape of the Various wrench sockets when the complete assembly is moved from packed position into alignment with the sockets, said wrench sockets being held in said receptacle by the parts of the lip between said slots when the wrenchsockets are packed.

'7. In a socket wrench kit a tapered receptacle adaptedto conform substantially to the shape of an assembly of wrench sockets arranged according to size, said receptacle comprising means conning the said assembly on the bottom, the two sides and one end thereof, with an over-hanging lip carried by said receptacle, said over-hanging lip having a plurality of partially circular slots cut therein conforming substantially to the shape of the various Wrench sockets when the complete assembly is moved from packed position into alignment with the sockets, said wrench sockets being held in said receptacle by the parts of the lip between said slots when the wrench sockets are packed, and a resilient spring finger carried by one of the sides of said receptacle and engaging one of the endmost wrench sockets to hold the complete assembly in packed position.

8. In a socket wrench kit the combination of a tapered receptacle adapted to substantially conform to the shape of an assembly of wrench sockets arranged according to size, said receptacle comprising means conning `the said assembly on the bottom, the two sides and one end thereof, with an over-hanging flange carried by said receptacle, said over-hanging flange having a plurality of partially circular slots cut therein conforming substantially to the shape of the various wrench sockets when the complete assembly is moved from packed position into alignment with the slots, said wrench sockets being held in packed position by the parts of the iiange between said slots when the Wrench sockets are packed, said receptacle also having a hookshaped resilient flange punched out of one side for holding the socket wrench lever, and having an aperture for receiving the end of the socket wrench lever.

9. In a socket wrench kit the combination of a tapered receptacle adapted to substantially conform to the shape of an assembly of wrench sockets arranged according to size, said receptacle comprising means confining the said assembly on the bottom, the two sides and one end thereof, with an over-hanging iiange carried by said receptacle7 said over-hanging ilange having a plurality of partially circular slots cut therein conforming substantially to the shape of the various wrench sockets when the complete assembly is moved from packed position into alignment with the slots, said wrench sockets being held in packed position by the parts of the flange between said slots when the wrench sockets are packed, said receptacle also having a hook-shaped resilient flange punched out of one side for holding the socket wrench lever, and having an aperture for receiving the end of the socket wrench lever, the end of said socket wrench lever obstructing the movement of the socket wrench assembly from packed position to alignment with said slots.

10. All novel features in their broadest aspect not otherwise specifically claimed which are disclosed in the accompanying specification and drawings.

11. In a socket wrench kit the combination of a housing for securing a plurality of sockets of one range of sizes with a series of sockets, and a second housing for enclosing a second series of sockets of a diierent range of sizes, and means for securing the two housings together for the purpose of providing an enlarged range of socket sizes.

l2. In a socket wrench kit the combination of a housing for securing a plurality of sockets of one range of sizes with a series of sockets, and a second housing for enclosing a second series of sockets of a different range of sizes, and means for securing the two housings together for the purpose of providing an enlarged range of socket sizes, said means comprising an integral flange carried by one of said housings and secured to the bottom of the other of said housings.

13. In a socket wrench kit, a socket holder comprising an elongated receptacle for receiving a plurality of sockets in a row, said receptacle having an open top, a plurality of overhanging lugs provided on one wall of said receptacle, said lugs engaging and conning the sockets when the sockets are in packed position and so spaced as to pass said sockets for release from the receptacle when the sockets are moved longitudinally thereof, and resilient means engaging the end socket of the row for retaining all of the sockets inthe first mentioned position.

NORRIS F. MCNAUGHT. EDWARD HENRY PETERSON. 

